Knight of Dreams
by 8cheshirekat
Summary: Gino/OC, OC/Rolo WARNING! MALEXMALE The Knights of the Round have competition, but so does Gino, Anya, and Suzaku at Ashford. Question is, who are the twins?
1. Beth

(Gino Weinberg/OC, OC/Rolo Lamperouge) At Ashford Academy, two very outstanding students catch the attention of the Emperor himself. But these twins hold a dark secret within their hearts that only love and each other can bring out. But nobody thinks of them when the Emperor's children are held hostage nearby. Two new Knightmares come to the rescue, calling themselves the Knight of Two and Eleven. Now the question stands, what's next?

---Ashford Academy---

She stumbled and almost fell, but managed to grab a window sill before she completely fell. Of course, she slipped and banged her head on the window. She wasn't the most perfect person for a job like this. She didn't trust herself and she certainly didn't see why they should trust her. After all, she was know for dropping stuff.

Sure enough, all the CDs were splayed across the floor. She groaned and got down to pick them up. Her light, strawberry blonde hair fell over her face and she stood back up, holding the CDs again. This time, she paced herself. Not that it was going to help her any.

And it didn't.

She rounded a corner and crashed head-long into Gino, who was carrying a stack of papers. Her face flared it's bright red and she dove to collect her things. "I'm so sorry! I just.... I'm sorry!"

Gino laughed. "Oh, no, I should be sorry. I ran into you." He touched her hand. "Allow me." He collected both papers and CDs into two neat stacks. "Oh, my, do you need help?"

"Um." She knew better than to ask him. "Kind of...."

"Oh, well, if you do, say yes. If you don't, I won't hold it against you." His beautiful smile with perfect teeth. "You're Beth, right?"

"Y-yes." Beth was sure the other girls were going to chew her out for this.

"I'm Gino."

She shook his hand and tried to contain herself. She started to walk. The President wanted her to move some CDs to the music room and it was from one end of the school to the other side. Beth kept bitting her lip as Gino followed her. When they reached the music room, Gino was talking to himself.

"How the heck.... no, I don't think it matters.... well, actually, it might...."

It took bet a second before she realized he was talking on the phone. Beth quickly snatched her CDs and marched into the room. She'd heard girls coming. She didn't realize she'd left Gino standing there looking dumbfound.

"Gino? GINO!"

"Eh! Sorry, Suzaku." Gino laughed and started walking to the computer room. "So, do you really think the new Knightmare frames will be ready for the flight test?"

"No. Besides, you just said it won't matter."

"That's because it won't work. But it might. If it does, we'll have to help test all aspects of it. Not just the float system on short flights, either."

"GINO! Not funny!" Suzaku sounded a bit hysterical, which made Gino laugh. "Well, I have to go, be sure to say hi to Anya for me."

"Right." Gino smiled when Suzaku hung up. It took him a second but then he heard some girls giggling nearby. Gino put on a smile and waved to them. "Hi, girls!" He heard them squeal and he quickly turned and ran off. He wanted to see if they'd chase him.

Beth watched him, her eyes giving a cold stare. Her phone rang and she quickly picked up.

"Beth...."

Beth's voice wasn't sweet. "Eli, Gino's here. I haven't seen Anya." Beth leaned on the window. She was glad that she was alone in the music room.

Eli suddenly sounded consern. "Has he shown any signs?"

"I haven't seen him in a couple of days. Eli, what if the Empire is right? What if Zero is here, in Lelouch?"

"Then I promise I'll come and save you. Elizabeth, you're me and I'm you. We have to stay together, okay? Nothing bad's going to happen to you, I promise."

"Eli, I--" The door opened and Beth quickly hung up. She looked Suzaku in the eye and the fell. She had actually tried to lean on the window sill but missed. She knocked her head on the sill and then slumped to the ground. "Owie!"

"Ah! Hey, are you okay?!"

Beth smiled with tears in her eyes. "I think so."

The PA system buzzed to life and the duo looked up at the speaker.

"Attention, attention! Ashford Academy's chanels will be tuned into a kidnapping of a royal Britanian!"

Suzaku stood up and then looked at Beth. "I'm sorry, I've gotta run."

"Oh, um, yes.... I think...." Beth smiled her geeky, silly smile with all the pain and tears in her eyes. "Heh, I'll be okay, um, uh.... Suzaku....san."

Suzaku stared at her. "I get the feeling I know you."

"SUZAKU!!!" Gino was calling from outside, throwing rocks at the window. "C'mon, we gotta run! Now!"

Suzaku left Beth sitting there, her smile faked completly through the pain. Beth spoke to nobody. "Because I'm about to save Prince Schneizel, Kururugi-dono. And there's nothing you can do about it." Beth stood up and a key to a Knightmare dangled off her phone. "Sorry, you're too weak, Knight of Seven."


	2. Twin

Suzaku's Knightmare, Lancelot, was preparing for launch and he was doing the final tweaking. He was starting to wonder if this was a full-scale battle or a reconnaissance mission. Suzaku started to doubt that it was as simple as that. He watched the screen illuminate with the several quick manuals that he'd memorized. Hitting the keys he memorized, Suzaku was ready for launch.

"Suzaku?"

"Lloyd...." Suzaku replied.

"Well, looks like all systems are go. Take care of my Lancelot, Suzaku." Lloyd sounded like he was a bit on edge.

"Roger." Suzaku started up the system.

Cecelia quickly revved up the launch system. "Lancelot, ready to launch. Launch!"

"Lancelot, launch!" Suzaku hit the thrusters and the Lancelot shot out of the ship and did a nose-dive towards the Black Knight's base. When he felt like he was far enough away from the ship, he spread the wings on the Lancelot and quickly joined Gino, Anya, and Bismark. The other Knights were assembled near the front lines. They were awaiting some confirmation that Schneizel was still alive.

"Suzaku, you made it!" Gino exclaimed, smiling brightly in Suzaku's side screen. "Well, we still haven't gotten any confirmation."

"Right." Suzaku looked straight ahead. He was trying to remember where he'd seen Beth before. He had a feeling her voice had called him "Suzaku-san" a long time ago, back before he became an honorary Britanian.

---Not far away---

"Now?"

"No. If they have Schneizel, they'll show some sign he's alive."

"But I wanna show up the Knights!"

"Calm down."

"Right, sorry."

"Alessandro, Elizabeth, prepare for launch."

"Roger, sir!"

"Now?"

"Wait. We just have to prepare for launch, Beth."

"Okay, well, while we wait, care to take a bet on which Knightmare's gonna flip first?"

"BETH!"

"No, I'm serious. I think they're gonna go down pretty quick, if our info's right, Eli."

"Beth...."

"Okay, okay, okay!"

"Beth, I bet the Lancelot's going down. Now, check that we're synced."

"Right. Checking. Check status; all clear."

"Check status; all clear."

"Launch!" The twins were launched into the fight as the Black Knights sent the Guren and several Knightmares out to meet Britania. It was two Knightmares, but all they saw was the largest. It was rocketing towards them at lightning speed.

"All systems are in the green! Deporting.... now!" Beth launched straight up to meet the Guren, who was flying. When she felt that she was far enough away, she grew the wings to suit her Knightmare. "GUREN!" Her hand came forward and grabbed the Guren's head. "You're not going anywhere!"

"Wha? Another Knightmare?! Where'd you come from, witch?!" Kallen demanded.

"Me? Little ol' me came from NOWHERE!" She used more power and overpowered Kallen. "I am the Knight of Two! You have no power over me, little one."

"I'm not the 'little one', you puny Knightmare!" Kallen used her strange arm on the little Knightmare, but Beth maneuvered around and made Kallen fire aimlessly into the sky. "Get off me! I'm not a horse!"

"Oops, sorry." Beth giggled and veered off, flying for the building. She pushed a button and was linked directly to Eli. "I'm going in to retrieve his majesty! If anyone's coming, send them now."

"Roger." Eli's voice came out of his Knightmare. "La Fay is going to retrieve his majesty, go!"

Gino and Anya automatically responded and shot after the small Knightmare Eli had called La Fay. Gino looked back and saw Eli was fending off four Knightmares with his own means of battle. Gino decided that this Knightmare could handle himself and surged forward, transforming into his little fighter-jet. He kept near Anya, because she was heavier than most Knightmares. He saw the La Fay waiting for them.

Somehow, that small, tiny, little thing was capable of combat. He didn't get that.

"Knight of Three, Knight of Six, Gino Weinberg and Anya Alstreim," Beth said to herself. Her Knightmare used a tagging system so she could tell who was piloting which Knightmares and the names of the frames. "So, I've fallen for a Knight of the Rounds. How pathetic of me." Beth tried not to look upset, because she knew that Eli would know. After all, they were two of the same. Out loud, she spoke to them. "Alstreim, Weinberg, one of you go on ahead, the other will fall back with me! I promise you that I have no intention of either of you dying!"

"Why should we listen to you?" Gino replied.

"Hah, that's a good question. I wouldn't listen to me either, Weinberg. Look, will you kindly go ahead? Someone needs to stay behind as back-up. In this instance, I'll stand down and let one of you be the hero. It's how I work." Beth waited and Gino flew past her. "Good luck, Gino."

---Zero---

He watched in horror as the two Knightmares came at his army with the Knights of the Round. He didn't recognize them, but he knew the name "La Fay" was the name of a small, prototype Knightmare. It worked off basic human movement. It was never officially launched due to a bug. Morgan la Fay, as it's full name was, had always been good for retrieval situations.

On the flip side, he had no idea if La Fay's partner was the real Yawain. If it was, then the two pilots were synced out well! It meant that they had to know each other inside and out. That could only mean that Yawain and La Fay's pilots were lovers or siblings, twins to be exact.

Which made it harder on Lelouch.

He watched the Knightmare still on the ground. It was fighting alongside the Lancelot. The two Knightmares fought off several of the Black Knights, but the grounded half of the two-part Knightmare didn't destroy the Knightmare frames. Lelouch knew this to be a gentle spirit in a war-zone.

"Yawain!" Lelouch heard the female part saying. La Fay was calling to it. It was the Yawain. "Push them as far away from the building as possible. Tristan and Mordred need the space to launch out of here in a hurry. Can you do that?"

"I can pull them back to the outer perimeter, close to the Launch-sites. Is that far enough?"

"Yes."

"Q-1! Keep them as close to the building as possible," Lelouch said, making sure Kallen would follow orders. "All spare units, retreat to the building, don't let them pull you away! Schneizel must remain here!"

"Roger!"

---Beth---

"He knows," Beth said, in a sing-song voice.

"How?" Eli asked. His image flicked into view. Despite their different gender, Eli and Beth were similar. Both had black hair, both were ivory-skinned, and both had bright eyes. The difference was that Eli's hair was just at the top of his shoulders and often spiked. Today, it was just hanging there. Eli had multi-colored eyes. His left eye was storm gray and his right eye was emerald green. Beth had a storm gray right eye and a golden yellow left eye. It was a difference that you had to see, in order to tell the difference between them. "I don't see how he knows."

"Eli, I think he's got the general connection. Let's stick to the secured one." Beth smiled her everlasting-gum-drop smile that made her look and seem childish.

"Beth.... what's wr--?"

There was an explosion from inside the building, near where Beth was. Mordred was several hundred feet away, at the outside of the building. Beth, La Fay, was thrown out. Electricity crackled on the surface and Beth was bleeding from her mouth and ears and a cut on her forehead. She was silently screaming as the electricity buzzed through her. La Fay went flying over everyone and to Eli, it was like time stood still.


	3. MaryJane

---Ashford---

Gino slammed the door open. He blinked and then noticed Anya, Suzaku, Bismark, and Schneizel standing around a bed. Suzaku looked up and then looked at the bed.

"You said I had to see this, what's 'this', exactly?" Gino asked. "I ran from the entrance to here. What's up?"

Suzaku just pointed. "You have to see this."

The infirmiry was a strange place to see something. Gino was expecting to see Suzaku or his father in the bed, but when Anya moved aside, Gino saw Beth lying in the bed. IV drip, blood transfusion, and bandaged, like someone who'd been in an accident. She was breathing heavy and a man stood beside her, holding her hand.

"Gino, we found her nearby. We think she was hoping to see something. Her brother's not saying anything."

Gino looked at the man. He wore a uniform of someone enlisted in the military. He wore the badge of Schneizel's personal logistics personnel. Whoever he was, he looked like he loved his sister dearly.

"I'm not into incest," the teen said. He gently laid Beth's hand down. He looked at the small crowd. I know why you're all here, so, spare me the fancy words. What do you want?"

"What was Beth doing near the battlefield?"

"She was looking for me. She knows where to find me. Anything else?"

"Do you know anything about what happened to the Knight of Two?"

"No. If I knew, I'm sure Schneizel would be the first to know. I'm not one to tell all to complete strangers such as yourself. I do trust the Knight of the Rounds, but I don't trust you, Bismark. And to not trust you, I'm sure you think, is to not trust the Knights. So, I don't." Eli crossed his arms. His gray eye stared at them coldly.

Gino assumed that both of Eli's eyes were gray and a thought dawned on him. "Hey, wait, are you two really related?"

"We're twins, why?" Eli asked, a cold edge to his voice.

"How is that possible? I thought twins were supposed to look the same! Beth has two hazel eyes!"

"That so?" Eli suddenly looked thoughtful. "I didn't realize that twins had to be exact. Hm. Perhaps I could fix this, eh, Beth?" He looked at his sister's unmoving body and it was quite clear they were twins. Eli's eyes might be different, but they had the same faces and the same skin tone and their hair was the same shade. It was like a two-sided mirror.

"Eli, please, just answer their questions. I'd like you to get back to work with Conon."

"Right." Eli turned to the people and let his arms hang at his sides. "Ask away and I'll answer to the best of my abilities."

Bismark cleared his throat. "What was a girl like Beth doing in the midst of a battle? Civilians aren't allowed within a hundred yards of battle."

Eli's eyes suddenly turned cold. "Ah, yes. My sister has access to military bases via her connections. She is striving to become one of the few who can program Knightmares. She was getting first-hand training, until Zero appeared. Now, she must wait. She simply wanted to see the Knightmares of Zero's Black Armada. In a short word; Beth was there only to witness two Knightmares doing battle."

Suzaku looked up at Eli from the chair next to the window. "How long has it been since you've heard the names Yawain and La Fay?"

Eli seemed shaken by these names, but quickly recovered. He looked at Beth with sad eyes and a cold face. "Four years since...." He seemed to trail off.

Beth's breathing was becoming more and more shallow. Gino had a burning question that he so desperately wanted to ask, but he'd wait until Eli was finished answering Suzaku's question.

Eli cleared his throat and kept his eyes on Beth's face. "Four years since the incident. Yawain and La Fay were sent to their demise then. I watched them melt to a heap of metal right before my eyes. That was the last time Beth was truly happy. And that was the last time we saw either of our parents. I almost lost Beth to La Fay. However, no Knightmare forgets it's master." These words came with a cold-hard slam to the Knights of the Round. They all looked right at the back of Eli's head. "Yes, you heard me. No Knightmare forgets it's master. No matter how long you've been parted. That's why I know that this isn't La Fay. It's not Yawain. If it were, it wouldn't have injured Beth."

"Tell me something, Eli," Bismark said, before Gino could open his mouth, "Do you find pleasure in war?"

Eli gritted his teeth and looked Bismark in the eye. His stare was cold, angered, and pierced right through Bismark, it seemed, because the Knight flinched. "Does anybody enjoy killing? Of course, we all do at some point. My reason for joining the war is because the Black Knights destroyed my mother's dream! If you asked Beth if she takes pleasure in war, I'd expect you to be lying there, not her! To join a war means to commit to something you hate." Eli raised his hand to show them bandages that clung to his skin. "I am a survivor of the war between Japan and Britania. My wounds don't cut as deep as Beth's."

Gino spoke up then, he wanted to know the answer to the burning question inside of him. "Who are you two, exactly?"

Eli looked surprised and his hand dropped to his side. He gave a sad, longing smile. "Who? We aren't full-blooded Britanians, that's for sure. But see it this way, Weinburg, neither I, nor Beth, are exactly who you think. Sometimes, you have to see beyond a facade and see someone. Beth sees you for you. Maybe you should see us as we are."

Gino kept talking. He had to know if this whole make-believe, piece-of-dirt, dark-past-story-thing was real. "What was the date of their deaths, your parents, I mean?"

"It was the last day of the second month, on a leap year."

"What was Beth wearing that day?"

Eli kept the sad smile and now his face portrayed that sadness. "She was wearing her favorite cotton dress. It was powder blue with little laces on the sleeves and a few petticoats underneath. Also, Beth wore a pair of blue Mary-Jane shoes. White stockings to go with it. She had short hair back then, so she wore a blue headband with a white flower on the left."

A silence like thick, poisonous gas filled the room. It was like the next person to speak would be suffocated to death. But it wasn't a conscious person who spoke up, not at first.

"Eli, ma, dad...."


	4. Voices

---Ashford---

Rolo pushed on the door and felt it resist him. He grunted and pushed a bit harder. He had to know why everyone kept locking him out of the infirmary. He was in need of some attention. With a third push, Rolo felt the flesh wound open on his arm and he stumbled back.

After a moment of muttering to himself about how much it hurt, he heard the lock click. Looking around, Rolo decided to wander closer. When he came about half a foot away, he heard voices.

"It's okay, nothings wrong. I promise."

"I dreamt of them again. I wish I'd known why."

The girl sounded scared about a dream. The boy sounded exceptionally frightened by the mention of "dreamt of them again", as was clear when he spoke.

"Don't worry. I'm.... I'm sure they're waiting for us on the other side of the gates. Don't be afraid."

"What if I am? Zero won't help our cause."

"Don't say it so.... irresponsibly."

"But it's true! Zero's going to destroy Britania! If he does that, ma and dad will be wiped out, too!"

"No."

"Eli!"

"Beth, I lied to the Knights of the Round. Mom and pa will be fine. Trust me. I've already arranged for Conon and Schneizel to remove them from harms way. Please, I beg you, don't do anything rash. If Zero finds out you and I are the pilots, we might as well kill ourselves." Eli paused and took a breath. "Look, for a little while, I'll pretend to be you. You can go and visit mom and pa while I'm here."

"Eli.... they'll know."

"No, they won't. I won't let them. Not after your accident in the volcano."

"Eli...."

"I know."

Rolo backed away. Was he hearing things? He had to get away! But before he could even budge, the door flew open and Eli stood before Rolo. His green eye blazing in anger and a Geass resonating in the other.

"Speak! Who are you?!"

"R-Rolo Lamperouge! I came to see the nurse!" Rolo was waving his good hand in front of him. "Please, um, is she in?"

Eli didn't faulter, but he disengaged his Geass. "Lamperouge, eh? Isn't your brother Lelouche?"

'_Oh, dang. I think he knows! What should I do?! I can't run, he might kill me! Wait, calm down, maybe it's just a simple question...._' Rolo quickly smiled. "Um, yes, that's his name. Um, do you know him?" Rolo started to scuff his foot. His personality remained the same, he remained the small voice in this conversation.

Eli suddenly flinched and then touched Rolo's damaged arm. "I do. I used to go to school with him when I was here. Give my regards.... after I patch up your arm." Eli smiled and Rolo's face flamed red. "Oh, I think you've got a fever, too. That's not good. Come, let me patch you.

---Beth---

She watched Eli's back go around the corner and she touched her gray eye. Her Geass had flared for a moment, but when Eli's faded, she relaxed. Whomever was outside wasn't intentionally eavesdropping, and that was a good thing. Beth felt tears sting her face as she felt the machines working under her back. They were there to keep her skeleton from crushing her lungs and keep her arms moving.

Beth hated Britania for making her lungs so damaged. Beth also hated Britania for crushing her brother's legs and arm. But here she was, an Honorary Britanian, being taken care of in a _Britanian_ school's infirmary, under a _Britanian_ nurse's aid.

'_How can you be angry when there's no reason to be angry? How silly. You think too much about yourself. Think about someone else for a change, you flawed, heartless, cold, deceiving, heart-breaker of a witch. I'm sure someone's going to laugh and tell you that you're angry for nothing. Get up, go see what's outside. Maybe you'll find that prince you always look at. Maybe he'll smile for just you this time, Elizabeth Britania-Rouge. Eli won't mind. Go, see what's outside._'

Beth clenched a hand to her heart. The machines were failing. She'd die soon. Nothing could stop that. But she could enjoy the time she had left, before Britania's machines crush her.

Her eyes looked to the bright blue sky and she thought about how dismal she felt inside. But that voice in her head was right.

'_Little witch, sitting in your dreary bed, Get up and stop hanging your head! Don't think about you, Or else you be blue! All that sits in your way, Is everything you say._'

Beth looked down and saw Gino being chased by the girls and she felt a twang of pain. Nobody loved her much to send her cards or give her presents or be her secret admirer. She had nothing but hatred towards women who chased men. She thought that they found pleasure and interest in the charming smiles. But Beth could see a lonely person, unsure of himself in Gino. She wanted to explore the world with him. See it all through his eyes.

But no man fell for the girl with the dark hair and gaunt features. No man cared enough to look beyond make-up and body parts. Beth could never look as curvy, busty, or romantic as these girls. And Eli would never be a strapping young man. It was the war between Japan and Britania that made them like this.

Beth raised her hand and--

SMACK!

She rubbed her cheek and then smiled. "No more. It's going to be okay. I know it will, right Eli?"

Eli's voice, the voice in her head, laughed. '_No more shall I cry, But no more shall I die._'

Beth spoke with Eli. She knew this rhyme. '_No more shall I wish, No more shall I wish, Because to night, I will dine from the dish. No more shall I weep, Because tonight, I shall sleep._'

Beth smiled and closed her eyes. "No more, no more. I'm done with this sorrow. Maybe I'll be better tomorrow. I don't know. I never will. Come with me, Eli, let's be the Knights we were ordered to be."

'_Always and forever, sis. Always and forever...._'

"Eli?"

'_Mmm?_'

"Don't ever call me a witch again. I'll sock you in the face until your teeth fall out."

'_Aha, still got your wits about you._'

"Always and forever."


	5. Smile

(**A/N:** to kornpop, yes, I did make it up.... it's at the end of this chapter, only, a bit different verse..... -.-;; um....)

---Black Knights---

Lelouch stomped his foot and bit his thumb nail. This was impossible and way out of line! He was supposed to be making things better for the Japanese, but these two Knightmares were getting in his way!

"Lelouch, let me ask you something," C.C. said, tossing a side a pillow and getting up.

"What now, witch?"

"Do you know the old tale of Morgan la Fay?"

"Yes. What of it?"

C.C. smiled and looked at the screen that had Lelouch all riled up. It showed the images captured of the Yawain and La Fay Knightmares that had attacked and successfully distracted the Black Knights when the Tristan saved Schneizel. "The real Morgan la Fay, not the one in folklore and fairy tales of Arthur, was a forgiving woman. She often gave love to strangers, just to be sure they were safe. The La Fay Knightmare's true name, that it's pilot calls it is 'Dream'. That was Morgan la Fay's true power, the power to dream."

"What of it?!"

"To fit into such a small Knightmare, one must be slender-build. Do you know anybody who dreams big and is quite small?"

"No."

"I do." It was Kallen. She stood there, her arms hanging at her sides, her head hung. "Her name's Beth."

C.C. flinched and her eyes widened. "Is her last name Rouge?"

Kallen looked dejectedly at the La Fay Knightmare's picture. "I'll kill you, ya hear, Beth! I'm gonna strangle the life out of you! Nobody knocks me unconscious and get's away clean! I'll slice you to bits!"

"Kallen, you can't use a sword."

"Oh.... that's right...." Kallen blinked and then shook her fist at the screen. "I'll blow you to smithereens! I'll turn you into a pile of dust! I'll blow you to Never land!!"

"Kallen...."

C.C. ignored Kallen and looked at the La Fay. '_Beth, Eli, is it really you two who pilot these magnificent new Knightmares you've been working on? The real La Fay and Yawain were destroyed, you know that. Who are these two that you've dubbed the La Fay and Yawain? I hope you can uphold your end of the bargain you made with V.V., because I certainly couldn't._'

---Beth---

She felt the wood crack and she made a face. "Uh-oh...."

All of a sudden, Beth came tumbling down and landed on Gino, who'd been walking under the tree she'd been crawling in.

"Ow! Ah! Gino! I'm sorry!" Beth scampered off and quickly dusted Gino off. When he smiled at her, she flushed and scratche the back of her head. "Aha, sorry, sorry, I'm just, um, not very careful!"

"I should be sorry. I shouldn't walk under trees when people are in them. Say, what _were_ you doing in the tree?"

"Me?" Beth looked confused and then remembered what she'd been doing. Standing up, she grabbed onto the tree and climbed up, again. "Arthur! Arthur! Come down, hurry! Hurry! Suzaku's gonna skin me if he finds out you're up here!"

"Aha, somethings never change, do they, Beth?"

Beth looked down and then fell head-first into Gino, Arthur attached to her foot. "ELI!" She started strangling him.

"Uncle, uncle, uncle!" Eli hissed, slapping her elbow.

Gino just stared, Arthur sitting on top of his head. He blinked twice before he remembered Arthur. "Hello, little buddy."

Eli started to sound like a sing-a-long narrator. "Little witch, little witch, sitting in your dreary bed, Get down and act dead! Can I kill you in a scream, Or do you prefer the stream!" Eli grabbed Beth's arm and yanked the girl over his shoulder. "HAHA!! I WIN! I'LL NEVER LET YOU WIN, BETH!"

Beth sat up and started to cry.

Gino heard Anya and Suzaku gawking at the twins. Looking up at them, he smiled and then heard Eli freaking out. Watching in a mystified, strange way, Gino saw how two siblings acted out of "rage", as it were.

Eli was trying to get Beth to stop crying and the girl was knocking him senseless with her slaps. After a while, Beth calmed down, but she sat under the tree, looking glum and almost dead-like. She punched the tree a couple of times when Eli said he was sorry.

Out of nowhere, Suzaku burst out laughing and everyone looked at him.

"Sorry, sorry, gomen-ne!"

"Eh?" Beth looked at Suzaku and then spoke Japanese to him. "What's wrong? Why're you laughing?"

In the same tounge, he replied. "I've never seen two siblings as opposite as you two. It's like two sides of the same coin."

"How so?"

"You're the frail and strong one and Eli's the sturdy, weak, arrogant one."

Beth looked confused and then shrugged. She spoke in Britanian again. "We only have each other. There's no way to be mad at the last living relative of your family. I can't stay mad at Eli, he's my best friend." She hugged Eli. "But we have our moments."

A smile broke across Beth's sour, down-trodden face. It wasn't a fake smile, or a sad smile. It wasn't one of Beth's usual smiles that were apologetic. It was true, genuine smile. She tossed her head back and laughed.

To Gino, he heard music when she laughed and he saw the angels all around Beth. He shook his head and felt the gloominess wash over him.

"Besides, Beth and I couldn't possible _hate_ each other. We made a promise to a prince that we'd always be together, right up to the end. Weather in body or spirit, we will persevere as twins, not as siblings." Eli smiled and then picked his sister up, like he was kidnapping her. "Now, if you don't mind, I need a word with these men. Can you ladies leave?"

"If I could touch ground...." Beth sighed and then went limp. "You know I hate heights."

Eli put her down. Beth decided to show Anya where Arthur was kept. When they were out of sight, Eli's kindness evaporated right off his face, like smoke. He stared coldly at Gino, his arms crossed. If it were show in anime, Eli would have an impending doom aura and a "Sister Complex!" sign over his head, but he just had a menacing aura instead.

"You aren't strong enough. No Knight should have to suffer such a sinful victory."

"EEEHHHH?!?!?!" Gino asked, looking utterly shocked.

"Kururugi!"

Suzaku flinched.

Eli was looming over Suzaku now. "I will not forgive such insubordination from you! You are so weak, a leaf can defeat you if it had the guts to! The _both_ of you are under the direct order of the Knight of One! From now on, the _both_ of you will recieve special training from the two Knightmares Crystal and Dream! They will train you to be stronger than you are so no unknown Knightmare will claim your victory!"

Suzaku and Gino watched Eli stomp off. Suzaku let the sweat drop fall. Gino just sat there in stunned silence before he sat up.

"Well, looks like I won't have time to tell Beth," Gino said, scratching his head.

Suzaku blinked and then smiled. "You will. I'm sure you will. The St. Valentine's Festival is coming. You should see that the two of you go.... I think she'll praise you.... lover-boy."

Beth smiled when she saw the two boys running around. '_Perhaps the wish will become reality when my body is finally made a part of your's, Eli. Maybe we can still make this work. I hope, for your sake, that you can use both of our Geass to help slow down Zero. But before then, I want to love Gino, for just a little while._'

'_Then I won't stop you. But remember, your Geass can only bring back memories. You can't suppress them like me. My dear Beth, this may be the last spring we see together, as two instead of one._'


	6. Darkness

---training ground---

Eli was stressed. The little marks were popping up all over his face. He couldn't believe it. He really couldn't believe his eyes.

"YOU CALL THAT FIGHTING?! THAT'S TAP-DANCING, WEINBURG!"

"Sorry!" Gino said, trying to correct himself before Bismark took him out.

Since they were using regular Knightmare frames, it was much more difficult. Gino was having the hardest time getting the Knightmare to react as quickly as the Tristan had, but Bismark wasn't helping the situation by using his own Knightmare.

"Bismark! OI! BISMARK!" Eli was screaming at Bismark, who was too caught up in the fight to realize it, until Eli activated the paralasys feild. "I'M CALLING YOU, BISMARK! Tch...." Eli scratched the side of his head with his right hand and put his left fist on his hip. "Che! You all suck! Nobody listens to orders, and all you're doing, Anya, is standing there! What's the matter? Did you lose power? Are you sleeping?"

"No. I wait."

A new stress mark popped out of Eli's forehead. "That's it! I'm taking over from here! Anya, get down here! You're first!" Anya obeyed. Eli grabbed her wrist and smacked her across the face. "Don't you _ever_ stand still while others are getting injured!" Eli body-slammed Anya into the ground.

"Hey! Stop!" Gino had come out of his Knightmare to stop Eli. "Stop, stop, stop! You're going to hurt her!"

"Weinburg!" Eli pointed his finger right between Gino's eyes. "You, che, YOU'RE NOT LISTENING! DID I SAY COME DOWN?! DID I SAY YOU COULD COME HERE?! _HOMEWORK!_ ALL OF YOU!" Eli coughed and then straightened up. "Geeze, it's like talking to a couple of dead bushes. Anya, your homework is to clean the dishes in the kitchen. You're going to be washing them, rinsing them, and drying them by hand. Use hot water. Gino, your homework is to tune out the world." Eli dug in his pocket and pulled out a flashdrive. "Listen to this. I'll know if you haven't. SUZAKU! Your homework is to take a nap in a tree! Bismark, as much as I hate to do this...." Eli kicked the Knightmare and it dented, enough that the Galad started to tip to that side. "Fix the dent. I'll see you all bright and early tomorrow at seven-thirty. Ta-ta." Eli stormed to the door, slammed it open, marched through, and slammed it shut.

Anya spoke up first. "Why did he say that?"

Gino was too busy looking at the flashdrive. It was pink with a black feather painted on one side and a black cherry blossom on the other. "Tune out the world? That sounds easy, but I highly doubt that...."

---Ashford---

Gino hadn't taken more than three steps into the music room when he heard the piano start. A sweet melody that was soon joined by a beautiful voice. Looking around, he saw Eli sitting at the piano, strumming away. Beside him sat Beth. She was using an old, manual wheelchair. The twins looked like angels as they sat there, making music that was heavenly to hear.

'_Come, the falling stars, Have all come to break these bars, With all the beauty of the world, Will unfold, Right before your eyes, Without all those lies. A love that blooms, Will take all that looms, And turn it into light, A light so bright._'

"Ah, Weinburg!" Beth smiled and Eli's music came to an off-note halt. He glared at Gino before he kissed his sister on the cheek and left. "Is something wrong?"

"You.... called me Weinburg...." Gino coughed. "Um, I perfer 'Gino', if you don't mind."

"Ah, okay. How're you doing, Gino?"

Gino sat on the bench nearby. "I'm confused with your brother. I'll never understand him."

Beth giggled.

Gino gawked at her. "Hey! I'm serious! I won't ever understand that boy!"

Beth started to laugh, but she quickly slapped herself. "Sorry. Um, I hardly understand my brother, too." She looked sadly at her knees, but smiled. "It's something that's become a problem. He's a genius, a dotting brother, but he's never told me 'I'm home', or 'how was your day?' He just says 'I love you, Beth. Always and forever'. I can't...." Beth covered her face. "I can't be a wife. If I can't even get my brother to say 'I'm home', Gino...."

"Beth...."

Gino knelt beside her chair and gently took her hands away from her face. He took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears away. After a moment, he gently kissed her hands. She looked at him in utter disbeliefe. But he just smiled.

Eli shook his head. He was about to lose the one girl who'd been his whole reason for being in the Britanian forces. He was going to have to live with the disaster of losing her humanity to machinary. Eli raised his bandaged hand and slowly unwrapped it. It was disgusting to look at his disfigured, black hand. After he'd nearly been crushed to death, along with Beth, he'd never been the same. He never would be. Eli clenched a fist and he could hear the whirrl of the machines and the clink of the metal. It was a disaster that changed Eli and Beth.

He closed his eyes and saw, not the accident, but what Beth was remembering that was making her cry. He saw the men coming with sticks and torture instruments and drugs and needles. He felt the fear boil in him until he screamed.

'_Beth.... they promised me they wouldn't.... is that why your ribs cracked so easily? Is that why you're always there, waiting for me? Is that your reason for being so kind to any and everyone?_'

In his own skin again, Eli realized he'd screamed and collapsed, because Rolo had caught him. Rolo was soon joined by Gino and the two of them were talking, but all Eli could hear was the sounds of a chainsaw going. He felt needles stabbing his arms and neck and toes. He could feel the metal strikes on his back. It was all too much to take and he couldn't bear it any longer. Something warm ran into his eyes and the heels of his palms slammed into his eyes.

"ELIZABETH!"


	7. Time

---Britanian hospital---

Beth clenched her hands into fists as they rested on her knees. Eli had been hospitalized right on through the exile of so many Japanese. Eli hadn't been concious for several weeks now. Beth was getting worried that the mechanical parts of him were starting to destroy the bio parts. Beth determined it was time for the surgery to make her body 95% mechanical.

Eli hadn't told anyone that his brain was partly the reason she and he were able to talk to each other. Eli had machines inter-woven into his brain. Eli didn't tell anyone that he'd made a deal with the sorceror who gave him Geass. The deal was to live until Lelouch became emperor. Beth was doubting this. Eli didn't have the strength to survive much longer.

"Elizabeth, are you ready?" It was the doctor. He put his gentle hand on Beth's shoulder.

"Yeah." Beth stood up and gently kissed Eli on the forehead. As she stood up, the bandages over her eye fell away. '_Eli, you can stop lying now. Our Geass will make you live, the both of our Geass. Live on and make this sacrifice of mine worth something, if I don't wake up._' She smiled and the Geass activated. She turned away and smiled at the doctor. "I'm ready."

---Ashford---

The cup smashed to pieces and his blonde hair was stained with blood, so were his hands and some of his face. Gino looked down at the cup, the headset still putting out the music. He knew an omen when he saw one, and he was shaking. His eyes slowly moved towards the thing that had fallen on him and realized it was a ladder. He touched his head and then looked at the crimson liquid.

Gino felt something inside of him hurting and he didn't understand. Collapsing, he clutched at his chest. It was so painful, Gino felt like ending it as quickly as he could, but he restrained himself when Anya touched his shoulder.

The music kept going and Gino suddenly realized it was the music keeping him from killing himself.

'_What was.... that?_'

---two days later---

Gino was standing in the middle of the training arena when he saw Eli coming. Beside him was a hooded figure with metal shimmering on their face. The metal looked like it made up part of the cheekbone and some part in the shadows. Gino quickly took out his earbuds.

"You wanted to speak with me?" Gino asked, unsure why Eli seemed less angered than before. Gino suddenly noticed the person beside Eli threw back her hood.

White hair streaked with red and black flew about the woman. It reached her knees. Her right eye was surrounded by metal. The side of her face that was metal was all on the right and the eye was laser guided. She had one metal arm and both of her legs made a soft whirr when they moved. She looked up at Gino and gave a sad smile.

"Beth!" Gino was surprised at the sight of Beth. "What.... what happened to you?!"

Eli's sad experssion was suddenly clear. "Beth has given up her physical humanity to save me. The metal parts were starting to spread a poison in me. Beth saved my life and the least I could do is show you her face. In a few hours, Beth will have an artificial face and skin. The parts of her that you see that are human are what's left of Elizabeth Rouge."

Gino dropped his music player and withdrew. He didn't see Beth's eyes looking at him, he saw something nasty looking back at him. It was like a Frankenstein creation or something. He didn't know what it was. But then he saw Beth.

A tear fell down her left cheek when she saw Gino's reaction. She drew the jacket she wore tight around her and pulled the hood back up, sliding to the ground. She started to cry. She was still Beth, her reaction and everything. She hiccuped and Gino realized that it was Beth, just a little different.

"Beth!" Gino ran over and fell beside her. He gently pulled the hood down and brushed her tri-colored hair aside. He brought her close and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Beth, I'm sorry. This new look is.... frightening. I'm sorry. I should've had a better reaction."

Beth hiccuped again and just burried her face into his shoulder. "Gino...."

Eli looked away, a tear falling down his cheek. Beth was horrible to look at, but he knew better than to abandon his love for his sister. His sister complex went through the roof when he knew that someone would take her and hurt her. But to see her with Gino, he was happy to hear her not cry. He sighed and whiped the tears away from his eyes. "Gino, I need you to take care of Beth. She needs some re-training in using a Knightmare."

"What?!"

Eli was looking at the Tristan parked several hundred yards away. "Me and Beth are Knightmare pilots. I've had my re-training already. Beth needs someone she can trust to teach her. Her Knightmare is Crystal. It looks like the La Fay Knightmare. My Knightmare is Dream. You saw us when we tried to save Schneizel. That was when Beth was hurt. I had to lie because Beth wasn't part of the military."

Gino looked at Beth, who he'd let go and she quickly got up and stood on the other side of Eli, apparently aware that Gino was mad at her. Gino grabbed Eli by the collar and held him up. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?! WHY ALL THE SECRETS?!"

Eli suddenly moved his foot and Gino heard the music playing. "For Beth. She used to play the piano. This was her song. She made it. It's called Crystal Dream. When I made these Knightmares, I wanted to honor her. She's my sister. She taught me to block out the rest of the world. Gino, if you must know, my sister saw how lonely you are, without a parent to be here when you achieve anything. She wants to be here for you, when Zero falls. When the reign of Zero falls, she wants to congradulate you."

Gino blinked and looked at Beth who was pointing her finger at him. He heard a click and he dropped Eli. Was that a gun he'd just heard?

"NO!" Eli grabbed Beth's arm and pointed it at the ground. He wrapped his other arm around Beth. "No, don't let it take you yet! Stay with me! Please, Beth!"

Beth's mechanical eye suddenly zoomed and then receeded when it looked at Gino and then she grabbed Eli's arm. "I'm here, Eli. I'm okay."

Gino reached out and touched Beth's human hand and smiled. Beth flushed and burried her face into Eli's shoulder. Something struck Gino right then. "Hey, wait, if your name's Alessandro, why do we call you Eli?"

Eli flinched and Beth burst out laughing. She laughed so hard she fell down clutching her sides. Eli just gave Gino and evil stare. Gino was waving his arms, trying to stop Eli from killing him.

'_A crystal dream is waiting for you, So don't be so blue, Little witch, sitting on your bed, Get up and lift your head, Show us just how pretty you are, We'll call you a star,_' Beth was singing on the music player.


	8. Knightmares

Gino was dodging Eli's every strike with the basic Knightmare. When he launched into a high jump, he was able to block out all of Eli's menacing threats of "runner!" and "Get back here, you coward!" and thought of just avoiding dying. He soared right over Eli and landed. The momentum kept him sliding along the lose gravel. Gino had to use the reverse thrusters to stop him from hitting the fence that would cease his Knightmare's movements.

"Weinburg!!" It was Eli. He rammed Gino right into the fence, also disabling his Knightmare. "Next time, don't stop there, get away from anything damaging, like that. You've definitely improved, Gino."

Gino sighed and quickly got out of the Knightmare. Stretching, he reached to the sky and saw nothing but a shadow on his hands. He was quite upset with his progress. It always bit into him that he couldn't be strong enough to be Beth's husband with such a weakened state! He wouldn't even be able to protect her against the Black Knights, let alone from daily life.

"Gino, don't put yourself down so much," Eli said, touching Gino's shoulder. "All I'm doing is putting a handicap on you. Try it in Tristan. I'm sure you'll beat me."

"No, I won't, Eli. I'm sorry, but I know I won't."

Eli sighed and then punched Gino so hard in the arm that Gino stumbled sideways. "Then I'm sorry to say that I'm gonna destroy your Tristan." Eli had an evil smirk on and a menacing, dark aura. "Hahaha!!"

"NO! I...." Gino had grabbed Eli's shoulder and he was suddenly reminded of Beth. The scent of lilies washed over him and he felt warm.

Eli didn't look at Gino, he didn't even move. "Beth's not doing well. The Black Knights have been trying to get her. Gino, if Lelouch ever gains power and precedence in the Britanian Empire, will you promise to keep Beth safe?"

Gino couldn't answer. He was still wrapped in just how much they were alike. Gino could see Eli before him, but Eli's slender form, his beautiful complexion. Eli turned to Gino and all he saw was Beth's kind face staring back at him, her sad eyes, and Gino was reminded that twins were alike. They were alike deep inside. It was like a strange, dark power they possessed.

"ELI!"

Gino and Eli both turned to see Beth running up. She looked like she always did these days. She wore heavy, brown boots that kept her from running and jumping higher than the average human. She was still wearing the outfit Gino had given her, with some help from Madam President. It was a tunic with long, angel sleeves that covered her knees and a pair of dark brown pants with butterflies from near her ankles up to somewhere under the tunic.

Beth had taken to wearing her hair in two french braids that were always tied with ribbons with bells at the ends. Today, she wore all that, but she had her hair tied into a single ponytail and she wore something over her ears, like a headset from a recording studio. She looked frantic.

"Beth?" Eli walked up to her.

Beth stopped. There was no "out of breath" for her anymore. Her heart still beat, but her lungs were mostly machines. Most of her flesh was metal. But she still acted like a person. "Eli, I got this message. It would seem that Zero's gotten ahold of some hostages. This is a list of them. You and I are to deploy with the Tristan and Mordred, ASAP."

"What about--?"

"Kururugi Suzaku was the first identified hostage." Eli held up the list. There, at the very top, was two names Gino knew. Lamperouge, Rolo and Kururugi, Suzaku (HB) and Gino felt his heart sink a bit. While he was busying acting as a target, Suzaku had advanced, but he'd been captured. "Gino, this is no time to be feeling sorry for yourself. This is your chance to win me over for Beth's safety. Wanna bet you'll beat the Black Knights easier this time?"

Gino sighed and then shook his head. After a quick slap to his face, he took off at a sprint towards Tristan. He had to get this done and over with. If he didn't, he'd regret it for the rest of his life. Beth was important to him. When he started up the Tristan, he noticed that Beth jumped up to Crystal's back. She was spread-eagle and wires snapped out of Crystal's back. The connected to her legs arms and temples. It pulled her in and she vanished behind the armor. When it stood tall, Gino saw the machine closing at Beth's back.

Gino had _never_ seen a Knightmire quite like that. Was that a living Knightmare? That was impossible!

"Gino, Anya, Beth, let's move!" Eli called.

Gino responded and when they launched to their different repair stations, Gino mindlessly docked. He couldn't stop thinking about Beth's new face. Her eyes were red now. The human eye was made red so her mechanical and human eyes matched. Her hair was now pure white with black and red bangs. She was a bit thinner than before and she had weapons in her arm and legs. Gino thought it was impossible to forget Beth. He didn't want her to disappear until he had died himself. Being part machine, she'd have to end up as a full machine. That would make her immortal.

"Weinburg?"

Gino jolted and looked at his communication screen. It was his Tristan's caretaker. "Yes?"

"We're ready for launch. We'll be arriving at the spot soon. Hopefully, we'll be able to get you going this time." The woman smiled and the screen fuzzed out.

Gino closed his eyes and pictured Beth as she had always been. Clumsy, forgetful, silly.... but he could, more clearly, see Beth's outstanding features. Her voice, her eyes, her smile, and that personality that brightened Gino right on up. It was impossible for him to forget that....

"Gino?"

The small voice startled Gino and he jolted his head back, smacking it hard against the back of his seat. "Ouch, ouch, ah!" He saw Beth through his tears.

She looked a bit upset. "Gino, I'm sorry. I didn't say anything to you. Um, how're you today, Gino?"

Gino's wide eyes softened and he smiled, closing his eyes again. Beth always came to see him after practice. She was always waiting with his favorite soda and some crackers. Though she couldn't smile, Gino could see it in her human eye. Now, he could see her upset self. "Heh, well, first of all, you're late, for once." Gino smiled when she looked surprised. "Secondly, I'm in a better mood than last week." He didn't tell her he felt useless in battle now. All he could do was watch as she flushed and then quickly looked down. "You're cute when you're all shy." Gino smiled again when she was shocked and whacked her own head on something off screen.

"Owie...." Beth slid passed the screen and then stood back up. "Heh. Right. Um, Gino?"

"Yes?" Gino was checking to make sure Tristan remained in standby, so the start-up would run smoother.

"I love you," Beth whispered. She gave Gino that look that made Gino believe her and he smiled. "Can we actually go on a date?"

"Well, unless you'll ditch me tonight at the movie, I don't think so. All the same, I'd like you to dress up for tonight, Beth."

Beth smiled. "Yeah. That's a promise." She fuzzed out.

Gino sighed. "Always and forever."


	9. Dying

When they got close enough, Suzaku was suddenly aware that the ground was gently rocking from side to side. Were they on a boat? He felt the others close behind him as they attempted to escape. Suzaku looked out the window and was shocked to see a dock. Was that why they didn't feel any motion?

Suzaku looked over his shoulder. Schneizel, Milly, Rolo, and Nunnally were among the group and they looked somewhat rattled as to what was going on. Schneizel was carrying Nunnally, just so they could move quicker.

All of a sudden, over the PA system, they heard an alert.

"We've got incoming! Three Knightmare Float Systems are headed this way! Go and engage the enemy! Quickly!"

Suzaku felt relieved. They'd be saved by the Knightmares! It was a chance to get Nunnally to safety and Suzaku was willing to take it. He had to help the princess get away from such a dangerous place. He'd be able to get a hold of Lloyd from there and deal solely with Zero, or Lelouch, whomever was holding them captive.

But the hysteria of the announcement made majority of the Britanians start pounding on the glass as the Knightmares became clearer. Suzaku was about to grab them and drag them away from the window when he heard something like running footsteps. He made a motion for the other three to follow him. Nunnally would go wherever Schneizel went.

Suzaku found the hatch to the deck and threw it open. As he did so, there was a rush of warm air as the Knightmares took flight.

High above them, Crystal was coming in for a dive landing beside the ship. The dock's waters were shallow, but thanks to Crystal's sharp maneuvers, Crystal made a clean dive and came up, onto the ship. It blocked several blows from the larger Guren before it scooped up Suzaku and company. The Crystal took off, rocketing straight up, out of harms way. To reduce the momentum on them, Crystal's other hand covered them, making a cage. It was impossible to tell exactly what it was, but the pressure was less and just knocked them down.

Crystal held that hand up, with Suzaku and company dangling on the fingers or in the palm and gently placed them on Lloyd's ship for the Lancelot. When they were safe, the Crystal did a back flip and zoomed back down to aide in rescuing more. Suzaku looked in shock at the Crystal. Up-close, it was much smaller. It intrigued Suzaku.

Gino's voice suddenly boomed out. "Drop! We've got a huge problem! They're going to fire missiles at us! Hurry!"

Crystal weaved right through them with her new passengers. When she reached Lloyd's ship, she put them down. "No more."

"What?" Gino asked.

"I confirm no more live hostages. The other's must've been killed. By my head count...." Cyrstal looked back and then shot off, at sonic speeds. "By my count, we've only got seven of twenty-one. This isn't a successful 'full-on' rescue, Eli!"

"About face! Guren's coming from behind!"

Beth had to push herself hard to avoid the Guren's long-ranged attack. She started to pant. The black visor over her eyes and the wires attached to her was making it hard for her to keep fighting in the same manner. If the Guren kept launching so many attacks against her, there was a chance that Guren would force her out of Crystal and into the ocean. '_Tch, if only Eli heard me saying that.... oh, the scolding would never end!_' Beth veered down again, scraping against the water's surface. When the Guren launched another attack, Beth was able to avoid it, but only just, as it nipped the side of her leg. She hissed and looked at the damage.

"BETH! PULL UP!" Eli screamed.

Beth could only smile. She wouldn't be able to, not at this speed that she was now stuck in, nor with that wound. She gritted her teeth and turned upwards. With one hand, she sliced off the Guren's normal arm. With a quick slash, she nicked the other arm.

"ENOUGH!" Kallen was practically screaming at Beth when the two of them clashed.

Kallen now had a sword stuck through Guren's chest. Guren's strange arm had forced Beth out of her Knightmare. She had ripped pieces of flesh and destroyed pieces of metal. Her cloths were singed from the wire's bright sparks. She was falling to the ocean, only fifty feet below Crystal. When she saw Kallen eject, she just smiled and blood started to bubble out her mouth, nose, and ears. She saw the Dream and Tristan shooting towards her. Her eyes widened and then softened. A smile and she mouthed "too late" before she slammed into the ocean's surface, breaking it.

The water jetted up. For an instant, it was fine, but then electricity crackled and broke it's surface. Beth's mechanical parts were starting to respond to the electrical charge of the water and Kallen watched in shocking horror. The electricity was so great that it shot right through both the Guren and the Crystal.

Eli could only stare in horror. He hadn't made it. Beth's body was probably at the bottom of the ocean by now. She couldn't have survived that much pressure on her human heart! Tears began to fall onto his gloved hands. Rage was filling him, but he kept it in check. He slammed hard on the breaks and watched the column of bright white lightning and water shoot to the sky, consuming the Guren and Crystal. As the water died down, Eli let out one, long, horrified scream.

He slammed both fists onto the consol part of his Knightmare. He drew back and covered his face, crying, screaming, and kicking the consol when the frustration came. It was hard for him to believe that his only living relative was dead. He'd never known this pain, this tight claw on his heart, this damaged crying. He loved his Beth. She was so special for many reasons. But now....

Zero, Lelouch saw the Dream Knightmare was powering down. It was going to sink to the bottom of the ocean. As it slowly lost altitude, Lelouch heard Eli's voice, calling out, over the different airwaves.

"Is this your idea of justice, Zero, Black Knights? Killing families?" Eli's voice seemed distant, as if he wasn't really in his body. "That's my sister. A civilian forced to join a war and become a Knight of the Round. Why is it just her? Why didn't you kill Nunnally and Schneizel and the others in the Royal Family? Is your goal to kill?"

"Are you angry with my decission?" Lelouch asked.

"Angry? No. I'm furious, yes, but I don't hold grudges. It's something you probably don't know. Heh, how pathetic. I'm sure you would've given Suzaku a medal for saving all those lives, if you weren't so absorbed in a future that can never come to be. No person kills the 'enemy' with such remorseless words. How can I be angry when we're human and you're a stupid god?"

"I'm not stupid!"

"So you don't dismiss the claim to being a god? What god, may I ask, allows his followers to die or his enemies die without remorse?"

"What are you saying?!"

"Elizabeth and I are your cousins! We have a heart! We're Japanese, just like these people! We're not Britanian! We're not even part Britanian! We're adopted!" Eli didn't sound angry, he just sounded close to tears. "Without my sister, I've got no reason to fight your war! This is your war, Zero! Stop putting innocent people's lives at steak! If you have a sister, or a brother, or even a good friend, you should take care of them! Not throw them in the line of fire! All we wanted was to save someone and be recognized for one instant in time. Zero, as heartless as you are, you make mistakes. I can forgive you for being human. I can. I can't say the same for all of Britania."

---Ashford Academy---

The words rang out, through the halls and Villetta felt tears in her eyes. Somehow, forgiving someone for being human touched her and touched the students. It was like a reason to know that it's okay to be flawed. She smiled and closed her eyes, letting the warm tears run down her face.

It was like a blast of the freshest breeze. It was like laughter in the aftermath of a battle. It was like life growing from ashes and dust. It made Villetta remember Ougi's words. His love for her. She felt lost without him and she felt human for loving. She didn't see darkness anymore, but a glimmer of hope she might yet be with Ougi. She sighed and noticed the screen.

Eli had vanished beneath the surface of the water as the other Knightmares fought on, as if they hadn't heard the touching words. Villetta was reminded of just how easily life could be broken into a million pieces and she prayed for Eli and Beth, that they'd find each other again.


	10. Revive

Eli had been missing for several hours and Gino stayed behind to wait. He had docked and was watching the surface of the water. Was it possible they were truly dead down there? That Eli had been crushed by the ocean's depths?

"Weinburg?"

Gino jolted and looked over his shoulder and up. He was surprised to see Rolo was still on his ship. He assumed that Rolo would be frightened by the sudden explosions and the war happening right outside. He gave a quick smile to Rolo and looked back out the window. "What's up?"

"Aren't you afraid for her life? After all, you loved her."

Gino smiled sadly. "Don't we all miss the one's we love? Sometimes, we miss 'em more than they deserve, right?" Gino smiled brightly at Rolo. "Eli and Beth will pull through strong. They always seem to."

Rolo flushed. "R-right, but still, you don't feel the slightest bit worried?"

"Nope. I trust that she'll come back, somehow or other. She said we'd go to the movies today. If that happens, I'd like it if you and Eli could come. Double date!"

"NO!" Rolo's face was flushed the brightest red and he was covering his nose and mouth. "I'm not into Eli that way! There's no way I'd--!"

"Lord Weinburg! They've broken the surface! Dream is returning to the surface!"

Gino stood up and put his finger tips on the glass. Looking straight down, he watched as Dream broke through the waves and shot into the sky. When it passed Gino's ship, it spread it's wings and hovered there. It looked almost like a spider, floating there with four spikes on either side that made the wings. Dream seemed to be holding something and Gino was sullenly reminded of his training.

Gino looked to see white hair slip through Dream's fingers. He slammed his palms against the glass. It was Beth. But was she still alive? After that huge volt of lightning, there was a good chance the answer was no. Gino grabbed a coat and ran onto the bridge. Throwing it on, he told the communication specialist to hail the Dream. When he got patched through, Gino saw Eli's blood everywhere, but Eli was still sitting there.

Eli wasn't piloting the Dream anymore. His hands were covering his ears. Blood still dripped off his chin from his nose and mouth. When he saw Gino, he smiled. His gray eye was fine, but his other eye was sealed shut by drying blood. "Heh, what's up, loser?"

"Is Beth alive?!"

"Oh, um...." Eli looked quietly down again. This time, one hand slid out of sight and then Eli completely vanished. His voice came from somewhere, though. "I don't know. I was too concerned with getting her to the surface to breath. I rushed down there so fast I'm deaf in my right ear. I don't know, Gino. I'm sorry, but I don't. I was too upset to look."

"We have a medic on board! Board my ship. We'll be able to take care of her!"

Eli's hand popped up and he waved it around in a wobbly circle. "Stop yelling. I can hear you. I just can't.... I'm covered in blood, and it's hard to stay up."

The Dream suddenly veered towards Gino and Gino quickly directed the people on board. They directed the ship so it narrowly avoided a head-on collision. When Gino could breath again, he quickly told them to prepare the Tristan for launch. As he was about to leave, he heard Eli speak up again.

"Hey, loser."

Gino turned around. He could see the top of Eli's head.

"Don't. I'm just trying to.... dock the blasted Dream." The Dream veered away from Gino again and again as it swooped in. At last, it was able to latch on at dead center so the ship wouldn't strain.

As Gino expected, Beth's fake skin had been torn away. Most of her cloths remained in tact. Her whole body had been washed clean by the ocean. Eli was, for lack of better term, looking like all Hell broke lose. His hair was dyed slightly red from the blood and his cloths were soaked in it. His face, hands, neck, and some of his bare feet were covered in it. Both of them didn't move when they were lifted into the ship from the Dream.

Rolo covered his mouth with both hands and started crying. He hadn't ever seen Eli like that. He didn't understand why Eli would go after someone who wasn't even human. Rolo's mind didn't go like that. He finally fell to his knees. Crying into his hands, he didn't notice his phone ringing.

Gino really didn't feel like doing much right now. He brushed hair away from Beth's face. He saw scratches all over the smooth, silver metal that made up her mechanical limbs. He ran his fingers along the very skin that had still remained human. Gino leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. He heard a little "eep!" and looked up.

Rolo had been surprised by Eli's hand brushing tears from his face. Rolo started to cry in all earnest and heart and he put his head on Eli's chest. "Eli.... I thought, ugh, that you'd...."

"I am. I know that, Rolo. Everyone does, eventually." Eli smiled and then looked to his right. Beth's body still didn't move and his eyes became cold. "We all do, sooner or later. Weather we're ready or not. Nothing changes that fact." He reached out and took hold of Beth's hand. "Even the strongest."

Gino didn't understand and just sat there, watching as Beth finally opened her mechanical eye first. It buzzed and whirled, as if trying to focus on nothing. It started to hiss and then closed. When her eyes opened, her human eye was glazed over. It was from the electricity. It'd blasted away at her human parts and disabled her human eye, permanently.

"Beth!" Gino gently picked her up. Surprisingly, being that this was the first time he'd picked her up, she weighed the same as a normal person. "Beth, are you okay?"

She let her mechanical eye focus on him and then she touched his face. Her human fingers felt warm, wet, but warm. "Gino.... no, I'm not okay. Not fully okay." She gave a little giggle and then smiled brightly at him.

"What's wrong?" The nurse had come with a doctor in tow. The nurse had knelt down and started checking her pulse. "Where do you hurt, my dear?" she asked, quietly patting Beth's wrist.

"My eye and ear. My right side hurts a lot, too. Oh, and my...." She tried to move her shoulder to show that her human shoulder was not moving properly. The words for it didn't seem to come to her and Beth started to cry. "I.... can't think of the word...."

Eli clenched a fist and then grabbed her elbow. "It's okay, Beth. Don't cry. It's only one mistake."

"Yeah," she sobbed, nodding slightly. She rested her head on Gino's shoulder. "I'm so sick of war. I wanna go home, Eli."

Gino watched as Beth was carried away. Eli soon followed, limping with Rolo's aide. Gino just sat there watching them leave. Somehow, he was still touched by Eli's words and he could see Eli's determination bright and clear now. He could see the bond between them and Gino felt his face flush when he thought of how close Beth was to her brother. He quickly shook it off and followed the parade to the ward.

---Ashford---

Lelouch sighed and hung up. Rolo wasn't answering his phone and Lelouch knew better than to keep calling. Maybe Gino really was taking care of Rolo. Maybe....

Lelouch suddenly pictured Gino and Rolo hugging each other and he punched his knee. He knew that Gino and Rolo wouldn't do that.... would they? Gino was so wild and unpredictable, he might. Rolo, on the other hand, was much more strict and not so absent-minded.

Lelouch closed his eyes and saw Eli's Dream Knightmare, floating above the water. He could still hear him.

'_I can forgive you. I can't say the same for the rest of Britania._'

A tear rolled down Lelouch's smooth, creme-colored face. He didn't bother wiping it away. There was no point. It would only come back. He smiled. "You'd 'forgive' me? The deamon of Britania? Huh...." He gently wiped the tears from his face and looked outside. It was beautiful. Almost like a dream outside. "I wonder about you, Eli. How good a chess player are you?"

Lelouch heard his phone ring. Looking down, he saw it was an unknown name. Slowly, he answered.

"Yes?"

"Are you Lelouch Lamperouge? Or, lastly known, Lelouch vi Britania?"

"Who is this?!"

"You don't recognize my voice? Oh, that hurts, Lelouch. That really hurts."

It took him a second thought, but Lelouch knew him. "Eli?!"

"Ah, now there's the memory. Yes, it's me. I was wondering, since I'm not in perfect condition, care to visit me?"

"Why?" Lelouch was trying to distinguish sounds in the background. He could hear something like a motor running.

"I'm going to the hospital. I'd like to play chess against you, sometime. I'd like it if you'd play."

"You read my mind." Lelouch smiled and then heard a familiar voice in the distance.

"Eli, you ready?"

Eli answered and then went back to Lelouch. "I have to go. I'll see you soon, I hope, your majesty."

When Eli hung up, his hand slowly fell away from the phone. Somehow, he had a feeling Lelouch was going to be angry with him. But Lelouch would probably achieve the status of emperor, at the rate he was going. Eli's eyes suddenly stung and he knew that his Geass was begging to be used, and not at it's weakest level. He sighed and let them wheel him onto the transport. He closed his eyes and leaned back.

'_Ball's in your court, Lelouch, Zero. Let's see your true colors. At least before I die._'


	11. End?

Kallen was standing over her bed, watching Beth's labored breathing. Was it possible that, because of this girl's electrical system, Kallen was never going to be able to fight in the Guren? Was it at all possible it was all her fault? Kallen held a switchblade in her hand. It was still closed, and she was debating weather or not to kill the sleeping Beth.

Just as she was about to perform the death, Beth's heart monitor went haywire and started to buzz loudly. Kallen quickly hid the weapon as doctors and nurses filed in to check on Beth. Kallen was reminded of just how many times she'd had to say she'd been in the hospital. Beth was really dying in the hospital that was supposed to be protecting her from death.

Somehow, Kallen managed to get out, but ran into Gino, who was just outside the door, waiting for the doctors to come met Gino's eyes and she glared at him, like an angry wife glares at her cheating husband. Kallen was needed at the wedding party between China and Britania. Gino was probably going to be there as one of the people who'd be protecting the royal family.

"Kallen, right?" Gino asked, seeming to have forgotten Kallen's name for a second there.

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Kallen asked, looking confused as to why Gino was there.

Gino just smiled, scratching the back of his head. "Well, I got that right. What're you doing here? Don't tell me your sick again...."

"Oh no, I was looking for someone, but they're not here anymore. Why are you here?"

"To visit Beth, but she looks to be busy right now. Anyways, I promised Eli I'd look after her." Gino smiled and sent Kallen's heart through the roof, almost as fast as a rocket taking off. Gino noticed Kallen's flushed face and looked confused. "Hey, what's up?" he asked.

"N-nothing! It's nothing! I just thought of something silly and now I can't forget it. Sorry. I just kind of, um, I just thought that Beth's probably waiting for you."

Gino smiled. "Well, at least some of us still have some class. Not that everyone can be nice about it. Look, um, if you see Lelouch or Suzaku before I do, can you tell them I won't be able to help them out this afternoon. I promised Eli I'd look after Beth for a while. He's so paranoid that the Black Knights are gonna come and try to exterminate her. Isn't that just crazy?"

Kallen bit her lip. "Yeah, crazy." She gave a weak smile that turned to shock.

There was a long tone and Kallen knew that tone all to well. The heart monitor wasn't picking up a signal. Beth was dying. A crash cart went whizzing by and Gino stood in the door, looking in. He seemed a bit nervous. When he looked at Kallen he just smiled. "I'm sure it's okay. I mean, Beth's a fighter. Maybe she'll be okay."

"No." It was Eli. He was standing nearby with his head dropped. "Beth's not going to wake up. And the two of you will forget who Beth is." His head snapped up and both his eyes flared red. As he focused on what he wanted, Kallen and Gino's bodies fell limp. Eli shed one tear as he dragged them away. '_I'm sorry, Beth. You're dead, I know this. Nobody else does. I'm sorry I couldn't save you. I'll be sure to send you my regards. Lots of love to you, sis. Maybe I'll be lucky and meet you there, in the burning furnace of Hell. Who knows?_'

---Ashford---

Gino sat up so fast his head was rushed full of blood. He flopped back down and heard a hiss. Jumping up and looking down, he saw Arthur glaring up at him. Something about that look made Gino wonder how he'd fallen asleep on the sofa in the Student Council room. Scratching his head, he looked around and saw that nobody was around. When he got up, he saw Rolo come in and he smiled with a wave.

"Hey, Rolo!"

Rolo looked shocked and then went into his quiet state of shock. It was unusual for Rolo not to say anything, but Gino let it pass, seeing as he always scared Rolo into silence. With a small flick, Gino walked passed him. He didn't know why he felt sad, but he did look around to see if he'd feel the same for anything around him. It was strange, really, that Gino didn't feel happy. He just didn't know why.

Rolo's heart broke a little when he saw Gino walking away. He knew what Eli had done and it was obvious in Gino's eyes. He was being controlled by Geass. It was a shock that Eli had a Geass that powerful. He also knew that Beth had died an unnatural death. She had stopped breathing because Eli had disconnected her oxygen so she could die peacefully, rather than with all the noise. Rolo had stood there and watched him do it. He'd begged Eli to let her live long enough to hear Gino. But she'd lived long enough to open her eyes and say goodbye to Gino.

Rolo knew that was the end of this chapter in his life. But he couldn't help but wonder where Eli was and what was up with Eli. '_I think I'll love you a while longer, Alessandro. I really think I will. Maybe I'll die like you and Beth do. Guns blazing and all. Should be fun. Right?_' Rolo pushed the windows open slightly. '_You're a mystery, Eli, Alessandro, and I don't feel like figuring you out just yet._' He let the breeze sweep his hair aside and he quietly closed his eyes and made a wish on an invisible star. He knew it wouldn't happen, but he knew that something good would come.

As he opened his eyes, Lelouch stepped in. As Rolo turned around, a streak through the sky shot for the mountains. Lelouch smiled and held out his hand. "C'mon, Rolo, we have to go see Shirley. I'm sure she's waiting for you."

"Right." Rolo smiled and left the window open. '_Eli, is it true that you'll have Gino and Kallen be lovers? I mean, it's not a bad thing. But would it really be okay with Beth? After all, she loved him first.... Eli, can you hear me?_'

The door quietly clicked shut and the window slowly swung open wider. The breeze swept the curtains and some stray papers around before settling neatly on the sofa beside Arthur. It was a nice place, but no more would Eli Rouge or Beth Rouge set foot on that turf. Two died for the sake of a "lost cause". But leave a mystery in their wake. What comes of patience?

* * *

(**A/N:** okay, i decided, at the last second, to cut it short.... argh!!! but i'm gonna put more context to this in my next one..... when i get around to it.... ~owari!!!)


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